Tuesday of the
First Week of Lent
(Isaiah 55:10-11; Matthew 6:7-15)
A pastor had an idea to raise funds for his parish life
center. He would give any
parishioner ten dollars for a project so that they could give it back with
another ten dollars. Putting responsible
people’s entrepreneurial minds to work can produce remarkable results. Needless to say, the parish life center was built. In today’s first reading we hear how God puts
His word to work with wonderful results.
The reading comes from the second part of the
Book of the Prophet Isaiah, often called Deutero-Isaiah. This book tells of the people Israel suffering
in Babylon and their liberation through Cyrus of Persia. However, the one God is the hero of the work. He directs all action through His efficacious
word. Today’s passage describes that
word as rain from heaven producing abundant fruit.
We should never doubt God’s word and should
pray daily to see it change our lives. We
will find that God acts in our best interests.
Whether or not we receive exactly what we seek, God will share with us His
Holy Spirit. This gift more than
compensates for anything that we find wanting.
